The Start of Forgiveness
by Shibalyfe
Summary: Draco returns to Hogwarts and expects nothing but hate. Written for The Houses Competition: Y3R1


House: Gryffindor

Position: Prefect

Category: Standard

Prompt: [Date] September 1st

Word Count: 1497 words, excluding header, author notes, and title.

Beta: Miranda, thanks lovey! 3

A/N: This was written for The Houses Competition, Y3R1 AU- 8th year at Hogwarts.

The Start of Forgiveness

Draco stared down at the letter in his hand and couldn't believe that he was going to be going back to Hogwarts Sept 1st. That date was a like a weight hanging over him. A noose around his neck, tightening the closer it drew. He didn't want to go back. He knew what the teachers and his classmates would think of him, the whispers that would follow him, but it couldn't be helped.

The war was over, and Voldemort was dead, but the separation between the 'good' and the 'bad' was still very much in place. Draco had witnessed it first hand after his trial. People were disgusted with him due to his part in the war, despite being found not guilty by the Ministry. It didn't matter they would always label him as a Death Eater.

Hogwarts decided the best way to help their students would be to open an 'eighth year', for students who were wishing for extra support. And who wanted to continue their education after the unfortunate incidents of last year. It had of course been optional for everyone, except for Draco. It was one of the stipulations of his freedom.

He stared down at the letter again and sighed heavily. It felt so pointless to return and pretend like everything was normal. It was just another chance to relive the hell of the last couple of years.

Draco threw the letter in the fire and watched as it turned to ash.

* * *

Draco had only been out in public a few times since the end of the war. The first was after his trial and people had lined the street to curse and yell at him. They told him what a terrible person he was, like he didn't already know. The second had been to Diagon Alley to purchase his school supplies. He had been much better prepared for that public appearance, but it still didn't make it easier. The third time would be to catch the Hogwarts Express.

Draco secretly thought that his third appearance in public would be the worst. It wasn't going to only be strangers throwing insults at him this time.

Draco straightened his tie and looked at himself in the mirror one more time. He looked pale and sickly. His eyes were sunken, and his face was drawn and sharp. His hair was dull and limp, but it hardly mattered, no one was going to care anyway.

* * *

He made his way down the platform, the crowds parting before him like the Red Sea, their shocked eyes following his every move. The whispers followed loudly in his wake, the noise rising with every step he took until his presence no longer shocked them but instead angered them.

He could sense the hostile energy in the air and tried to pick up his pace, but an angry man blocked his path.

"Eh, where do you think you're going?" He shouted in Draco's face. "Hasn't Hogwarts had enough from the likes of you?"

Draco could feel the crowd begin to tighten in around him. The shouts and jeers were beginning to deafen him, and he could no longer see the red train over the crowd. He stared down at his shoes and started to panic. He could feel his heart thudding in his chest and his breathing was coming out in shallow gasps. He felt light headed and dizzy, the room was spinning around him.

"Eh!" the man shouted again, "I asked wheres you think yours going?"

When Draco still didn't answer him, the man shoved him back. The crowd cheered as Draco stumbled into another man only to be pushed away from him roughly.

Draco was being shoved violently from one person to the next until another man grabbed him and punched him.

He could hear the whistles of the authorities, but that didn't stop the onslaught from the crowd. He felt their kicks and punches continue as he fell to the ground. The authorities quickly dispersed the crowd. His body was broken and bruised, but he knew that wouldn't be the worst of it.

He hobbled down the train to find an empty compartment, his classmates sneering at him and locking their compartment doors. Hisses of Death Eater followed him down the narrow train until he finally found an empty compartment and locked himself in it.

* * *

Hermione had watched the whole scene unfold. She saw the moment the taunts turned to violence and immediately alerted the Aurors. She was appalled that the Aurors even let it escalate that far. They had been placed on the platform for his protection but they had failed to manage the crowd.

She silently watched as he limped onto the train with a bloody nose, black eyes, and ripped clothes. His face had been contorted in pain, but no one had offered him any help. They just sneered and laughed as he hobbled past them. Hermione tried to convince herself that he deserved it. That he was nothing but a Death Eater, he did after all have that very mark on his arm, didn't he?

She sat in a compartment with Ginny, Neville, Luna. They laughed the whole way to the school, sharing their favorite stories and memories of their time in Hogwarts but Hermione still couldn't forget what she had seen, it was consistently in the back of her mind. She had never seen him in such pain before, but he didn't even bother to lift a finger to defend himself.

Hermione was doing her best to forget the situation, but the welcoming feast only further highlighted the issue.

She watched as his own house shunned him, as other students spat at him, threw food at him, and even attempted to trip him. She watched as Malfoy just slumped at the end of the table and didn't even bother to eat. It was at that moment she realized why it was bothering her so much: Malfoy didn't care, it was like he resigned himself to this treatment.

Hermione watched as he just continued to stare at the table and ignore the insults. She watched as grapes bounced off of his head and she barely saw him flinch as a student roughly bumped into him.

She stared at him a little longer from across the hall before she decided she had to do something, it wasn't right.

She slowly stood up and made her way towards him. She heard her footsteps echo as the hall grew quiet and every student watched her.

She stopped at the edge of the table and cleared her throat, but Malfoy continued to stare down at the table. She saw that he was gulping nervously and his breathing began to pick up.

"Malfoy," She said firmly, but he continued to ignore her, she decided to take a different route and sit across from him at the table.

"Malfoy," she said gently, "please look at me."

He took one deep breath and tensed his shoulders. He slowly raised his head to meet her eyes. His silver eyes were bloodshot and wide. She felt like she was looking at a baby bird, broken and scared. Hermione had no idea what she had planned to say when she came over here. She wasn't even really sure why she came over here but now staring into his stoic eyes; she knew she had made the right decision to help him.

"Malfoy," Hermione started calmly, even though her heart felt like it was in her throat. "I just wanted to say thank you for what you did at the Manor. If it weren't for you, Harry and I would be dead right now." Hermione paused to let her voice carry over the Great Hall.

Hermione witnessed his first genuine expression since she had seen him that day: surprise. She smiled at him genuinely.

"I just wanted to say thanks, I can't imagine how hard it must have been for you to go but if you had turned us in... well," Hermione said shakily, "I don't even want to think about it."

She extended her hand towards him and watched him shakily grasp her hand. She gave his hand a small squeeze and a firm shake for the whole hall to see. She then gave him a small smile and began to help herself to some Roast Beef, still sitting across from him.

* * *

Draco watched in amazement as she began to eat dinner across from him. Draco slowly took her lead and began to pile his plate with food. She slowly began to draw him into conversation, and soon they were exchanging little-known facts about Hogwarts, by the end of the meal he was surprised by how much better he was feeling. He stared at Hermione in awe and couldn't believe his luck. Today, was supposed to be the worst day of his life instead September 1st would be forever marked as the start of his forgiveness, who would have thought?


End file.
